CITY U18S OUT-GUNNED BY ARSENAL

NORWICH City Under-18s suffered a 3-0 defeat away to a strong Arsenal side at London Colney on Saturday in the FA Academy Premier League.

First half strikes from Gunners duo Austin Lipman and Jon Toral had the home side in the driving seat, before Brandon Ormonde-Ottewill put the result beyond doubt midway through the second period.

Manager Neil Adams told Canaries.co.uk: “We’ve no complaints about the result. We were disappointed in the first half as we didn’t get close enough to the man on the ball and that cost us.

“We were reacting rather than being pro-active, and allowed them too much time.

“In the second half we had a lot more energy and sharpness about us, and had a couple of chances that could have got us back in the match, but the third goal killed the game off.

“We all want to win games, but it’s about developing players and getting them through the system, into the development squad, then into first-team football, and as long as we’re doing that, we’re doing okay.

“There’s a lot to work on with the group we’ve got. As long as they’ve got the right attitude and give the right amount of effort we can’t complain, it’s just that today we were a bit off the pace in the opening 45 minutes compared to our friendly win over Reading last week, where we were excellent.”

Adams named two triallists in his starting XI, which was captained by central midfielder Cameron McGeehan, however they were facing an uphill battle after just five minutes, as Jack Webb set up Lipman for a curling effort from 18 yards that flew into the top corner to make it 1-0.

Then just as the Canaries began to settle into the match, the Gunners doubled their lead through Toral on 23 minutes. Alex Iwobi’s delicate through-ball found the run of Toral, who after taking a touch, lofted the ball over Remi Matthews for 2-0.

City grew into the match and were almost able to muster a response were it not for Gunners defender Thomas Dallison, who somehow managed to block Henry Randall’s shot on the line to ensure the home side went into the break with a two-goal cushion.

Early in the second half the hosts suffered the blow of losing goalkeeper Josh Vickers to injury – leaving defender Isaac Hayden between the sticks for the remainder of the game,

However City were unable to put the makeshift ‘keeper under too much pressure before Arsenal made the three points safe with a breakaway goal 20 minutes from time - Ormonde Ottewill receiving the ball of the left hand side, cutting in and firing a powerful effort past Matthews.

A resilient Norwich continued to fight and almost pulled one back through substitute Dominic St Louis, but Zac Fagan cleared his header off the line, before he headed the rebound off the post.

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